Chapter 188
Nathaniel snatched the towel from the edge of the tub. He tilted Isabella’s chin upward, carefully placing the pill on her tongue.
It dissolved almost instantly. The restless thrashing ceased. Her body went still in the water, the tension finally leaving her limbs.
Asleep at last.
He lifted her from the tub, wrapping the towel securely around her before carrying her out of the bathroom.
Morning light streamed through the windows. Isabella’s eyes fluttered open. She stared at the ornate ceiling above. This wasn't her room. But the familiarity was unnerving.
This place… It was the same suite from five years ago.
The memory slammed into her. The drug. Last night.
She turned her head. A man lay beside her.
Nathaniel Blackwood.
He was still asleep, his features softened in the gentle dawn light. A perfect, tranquil painting.
She felt no urge to admire him. Isabella threw the covers back. Her eyes narrowed. She was down to her underwear.
A quick glance at him. He wore a dark robe. The fabric gaped open, revealing the hard planes of his chest.
What…
What happened here?
She glared at him, her voice a low, furious hiss. “What did you do to me last night?!”
His eyes opened. He found her anxious, furious gaze fixed on him. A lazy, teasing smile touched his lips. “What do you think happened?”
That tone. That infuriating, knowing tone.
Isabella’s mind reeled. Did they…? Did he discover her secrets?
No. Stop. That wasn’t the point.
The evidence was right in front of her.
“Nathaniel, how dare you take advantage of me!”
“Me? Take advantage of you?”
He sat up, throwing his ruined shirt toward her. He pointed to the fresh scratch marks on his chest. “Look at this. Who assaulted whom here?”
She stared at the torn fabric. The marks on his skin did look… recent.
Wait. Did she… attack him under the drug’s influence?
“Well… We’re both adults. I was drugged. Let’s just… pretend this never happened.”
She scrambled out of bed and bolted for the bathroom.
Nathaniel remained seated, his expression freezing. “Pretend it never happened?” he muttered, a dark displeasure in his voice.
The thought made her stomach churn. She had been with Nathaniel Blackwood. Westchester’s most formidable bachelor.
“If you require compensation for your… losses, I’ll pay you one million. Not a penny more.”
Nathaniel went completely still. One million? She was offering him money?
Thank god nothing actually happened last night. Her reaction was already this extreme. He could only imagine the fallout if it had.
He pressed further, his voice dropping. “You’re a grown woman. Can’t you tell if something truly occurred?”
The implication sank in. Her brow furrowed in sudden, dawning comprehension.